Residency · Americas
Residency · AmericasPanama Qualified Investor Residency
Permanent residence in Panama for investors in property, securities or fixed-term deposits, under rules updated in September 2026.
Decision summary
- What do you obtain?
- Panama Qualified Investor ResidencyRoute to citizenshipCitizenship after five years (one to three years for some Latin American and Spanish nationals).
- What does your family invest?
- USD 300,000 in new property; USD 500,000 in resale property, securities or a deposit at Banco Nacional de Panamá or Caja de Ahorros; USD 750,000 in a deposit at a licensed private bank.
- What is additional?
- Each dependant added later: USD 1,000 to the National Treasury and USD 1,000 to the National Immigration Service. Immigration processing and legal fees are separate.
- How long does it take?
- Investment certification within 15 business days and a residence decision within 30 business days of a complete file.
- Must you travel or live there?
- No residence requirement; one visit every two years is advised.
- What is the main drawback?
- Securities and deposits must be held for five uninterrupted years, with annual verification by the Ministry of Commerce and Industries.
- Family inclusion
- Spouse, Children · conditions apply
- Program status
- Operational
Overview
Panama's Qualified Investor program grants permanent residence to investors who make a qualifying investment. New rules under Executive Decree No. 17 of 8 September 2026 have applied since 16 September 2026, replacing the 2020 decree.
Qualifying investments include new property from USD 300,000, resale property from USD 500,000, Panamanian securities from USD 500,000, and fixed-term deposits of USD 500,000 at the national banks or USD 750,000 at licensed private banks.
Securities and deposits must be held for five years, and the investment is checked every year.
Path to citizenship
5 yearsof residence before you can apply for citizenship
Citizenship after five years (one to three years for some Latin American and Spanish nationals).
See every residency route to citizenship →Who this program may not suit
Taken from the facts recorded on this page. It may not suit you if:
- Your budget is below USD 300,000, the minimum recorded investment, before fees and costs.
- You may need the money back before the holding period ends: Five years for securities and deposits, verified annually.
Investment pathways
- Investment pathway
- New property (primary market), resale property, eligible Panamanian securities, or a fixed-term deposit.
- Minimum investment
- USD 300,000 in new property; USD 500,000 in resale property, securities or a deposit at Banco Nacional de Panamá or Caja de Ahorros; USD 750,000 in a deposit at a licensed private bank.
Checked against official programme sources
Family inclusion
Spouse
Named in the rule
Children
Named in the rule
Parents
Not named in the rule
Siblings
Not named in the rule
Ages, dependency and other conditions are in the rule below; confirm them for each family member.
- Eligible dependents
- Children and a spouse can be included; children and a spouse married after approval can be added later.
Checked against official programme sources
Application process
- 1The investor makes a qualifying investment with their own lawful, traceable funds, personally or through a company of which they are the ultimate beneficial owner.
- 2Through an attorney-in-fact, the file can be lodged before the investor enters Panama; the Ministry of Commerce and Industries certifies the investment within 15 business days of admitting a complete file.
- 3The investment certificate, valid for three months, is presented to the National Immigration Service, which has 30 business days from receiving a complete file to decide on permanent residence.
- 4Before the residence card is issued, the investor and dependants complete biometric registration with the immigration service.
- 5The investment must be kept for at least five years, with documents filed with the Ministry each year in the 30 days before the resolution's anniversary and any change notified within 30 days.
Steps and timings can change; your advisor confirms the current process before you apply.
Indicative timelines
- Indicative processing timeframe
- Investment certification within 15 business days and a residence decision within 30 business days of a complete file.
Checked against official programme sources
Investment and fees
Qualifying investment amounts and government fees are always shown separately. We do not publish single "total price" figures, as the total depends on family composition and circumstances.
Estimate for your family
- Investment for your family
- USD 300,000
- New property (from)
- Known total so far
- USD 300,000
- 6 cost items not yet included
Children are counted as 10 and parents as 60 unless you enter ages in the calculator. Full breakdown and ages
Qualifying investment
- New property (from)
- USD 300,000
- Resale property, securities or national-bank deposit
- USD 500,000
- Private-bank fixed-term deposit
- USD 750,000
- Estimated additional costs
- Each dependant added later: USD 1,000 to the National Treasury and USD 1,000 to the National Immigration Service. Immigration processing and legal fees are separate.
- Investment holding period
- Five years for securities and deposits, verified annually.
- To be confirmed
- Government fees · Due diligence fees
Checked against official programme sources
Residence requirements
At least 5 years, as recorded: Five years for securities and deposits, verified annually.
- Residence requirements
- No residence requirement; one visit every two years is advised.
- Renewal requirements
- Not applicable — permanent residence is granted directly, subject to the yearly check that the investment is still held.
- Potential route to citizenship
- Citizenship after five years (one to three years for some Latin American and Spanish nationals).
Checked against official programme sources
Due diligence and documentation
Applicants and included dependants undergo background and source-of-funds checks by the relevant authority. Documentation requirements are confirmed during preparation — no documents are needed for an initial consultation.
Considerations, limitations and risks
Important restrictions
Securities and deposits must be held for five uninterrupted years, with annual verification by the Ministry of Commerce and Industries.
- Published entry thresholds are not comprehensive costs; taxes, professional fees and dependent charges may apply.
- Immigration law, visa access and naturalisation rules can change without notice.
- Individual eligibility depends on nationality, financial background, due diligence and program-specific criteria.
Status and authority
- Operational status
- Operational
- Official government authority
- National Immigration Service, with the Ministry of Commerce and Industries, Panama
- Legal basis
- Executive Decree No. 17 of 8 September 2026 (Official Gazette No. 30613), in force since 16 September 2026, replacing Executive Decree No. 722 of 2020.
- To be confirmed
- Nationality restrictions
Programme rules change; your advisor confirms every figure before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
What changed in Panama in September 2026?
Executive Decree No. 17 of 8 September 2026 replaced the 2020 rules. It sets new property, securities and deposit thresholds and applies from 16 September 2026.
Do I get permanent residence straight away?
The Qualified Investor route grants permanent residence once the investment is certified and the application approved.
What is the minimum investment for Panama Qualified Investor Residency?
USD 300,000 in new property; USD 500,000 in resale property, securities or a deposit at Banco Nacional de Panamá or Caja de Ahorros; USD 750,000 in a deposit at a licensed private bank.
Can my family be included?
Children and a spouse can be included; children and a spouse married after approval can be added later.
Is there a minimum stay requirement for Panama Qualified Investor Residency?
No residence requirement; one visit every two years is advised.
How long does the process take?
Investment certification within 15 business days and a residence decision within 30 business days of a complete file.
Does the Panama Qualified Investor Residency lead to citizenship?
Citizenship after five years (one to three years for some Latin American and Spanish nationals).
Is approval guaranteed?
No. Every application is decided by the government concerned after due diligence, and requirements can change.
Discuss Panama with an advisor.
Share your objectives in confidence. An advisor will outline the options that may be relevant to your family and circumstances.